1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a free-flowing flavored granule, and method of using and producing the same, and more particularly to a flavored granule prepared using a nonsweet carbohydrate bulking agent. A particularly preferred aspect of the invention employs sucrose and a sweetness inhibitor to prepare a bulking agent used to make the flavored granule.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of sweet carbohydrates in foods as fillers or bulking agents is well established. However, above certain concentration levels, the sweetness of these carbohydrates becomes excessive. This excessive sweetness, which is not taste compatible with savory flavors among others, can also mask desirable flavors.
Japanese patent 57,071,366 to Nobel discloses hard confectioneries with low sweetness. The confectioneries contain (1) 0-70% lactose, (2) 0-60% of a sugar selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sorbitol, maltitol, isomerized sugar and honey, and (3) the remainder malt syrup and/or dextrin. Sweetness is said to be controlled by appropriate selection of the sugar or by addition of the nonnutritive sweetener agent Stevioside. Nobel further states that savory flavors, not compatible with conventional compositions, may be combined with low sweetness compositions.
Japanese patent 61,254,148 to Ishi discloses low caloric candy compositions which consist of (1) polydextrose, (2) sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, and mannitol, and (3) a flavoring agent.
Herzing U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,079 discloses savory confection-like coatings for snack foods. The savory coatings consist of (1) matrix of hard butter, (2) a flavoring agent, and (3) a particulate base material mixed in the hard butter matrix composed of bland carbohydrate and/or protein components.
The use of sweet and nonsweet carbohydrate bulking agents in the preparation of savory flavored products that may contain optimal additions including salt products is disclosed in two copending applications of the present assignee. These applications are U.S. Ser. No. 222,479 filed on July 21, 1988 and entitled "Savory Flavored Nonsweet Compositions Using Sweet Carbohydrate Bulking Agent" which is now abandoned and U.S. Ser. No. 222,599 filed on July 21, 1988 and entitled "Savory Flavored Nonsweet Compositions Using Nonsweet Carbohydrate Bulking Agent" which is now abandoned. The inventions described in these applications relate to savory flavored products and not to flavored granules which are designed to replace conventional flavors, such as powdered spices and seasonings.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a flavored product which reduces the amount of flavor used to make the product without changing the manner of applying the flavor and which has granules which taste similar to conventional flavor, yet contain less flavor content. Such a product should not change the organoleptic properties expected from the flavor, nor its manner of use, such as shaking, dipping or licking and so forth.